Touching Surprise
by Dara Tavar
Summary: Velma thinks about her relationship with Shaggy and how it's recently ended. With it being New Year's Eve, the thought leaves her a little depressed, thinking of all her friends and family who are enjoying themselves because they have someone who loves them. Then, once she gets home from work, she finds a surprise in the form of someone she loves, waiting for her. R&R please!


**Okay, so this is my second Scooby-Doo story. I've been planning to do some more stories, seeing what couples I really like and if I can write well with couplings that aren't my favorite (though there are many choices for this, lol). Anyways, sorry it's taken me so long to get another Scooby-Doo story out there, but hopefully it won't be so long until my next one (I have three more ideas completely planned out, I just need to write them up).  
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**Anyways, I'll let you get to the story. Enjoy!  
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**DT  
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**Touching Surprise**

Velma let out a sigh as she locked the doors to her little bookstore, her mind wandering away from the work that had kept her here later than she usually would have stayed. New Year's Eve and she'd spent the day working, even claiming to need to stay late so she wouldn't have to go to Daphne's party tonight. Instead of focusing on her work and the business that she was running on her own, her mind had turned to Shaggy. She couldn't help but wonder what he was doing tonight and if he was thinking about her too.

It had been a couple weeks since they'd broken up, which had made Christmas awkward for the rest of the gang, with the two of them uncertain about how to act around one another and no one else knowing whether or not to bring the failed relationship up or to just pretend it had never happened. But it had happened, and it had taken up nearly two years of Velma's life.

As she thought back on it, she couldn't believe how blind she'd been. While Shaggy had always been one of her best friends, there had never truly been anything romantic between them until Daphne had urged it, feeding their beliefs that maybe they would make the perfect couple and should be together. And so, after months of Daphne trying to play matchmaker, Velma and Shaggy had agreed to go out on a date. And, to be completely honest, it had been nice. They hadn't needed to get to know one another, so there were no awkward questions, and after the initial uncertainty the two of them had been able to relax and enjoy their time together.

And as time had passed, Velma's feelings for Shaggy had changed. Sure, there was still no burning passion between them, and when they kissed it was nice but she felt no real sparks. But still, she'd grown to love him. And, after about a year and a half of dating, she'd decided she could be happy spending the rest of her life with Shaggy. She could have a husband, a home, children and even a wonderful dog.

There was only one problem, while she was ready to move on to something more, Shaggy was comfortable with things how they were. He didn't want things to change. And when Daphne asked when they were going to tie the knot, Shaggy had insisted that they were fine how they were and didn't want a thing to change. Ever.

For the next six months, Velma tried to change his mind, tried to convince him that a life together would be good for them. But Shaggy was stubborn and refused to change anything—and when Velma asked him if he wanted to marry her, he told her _of course not_, and so she'd ended the relationship.

While she'd planned to marry him and his refusal had hurt her, she reluctantly admitted to herself that it hadn't really broken her heart. A life with Shaggy would have been safe, but not completely fulfilling. She could have been happy with him, but not completely. There would have been things missing, such as passion and real, true love. Because, while they'd loved one another, it had been more the love of friends, and the safe love one allows one to fall in.

Lost in her thoughts as she was, it didn't take Velma long to return home. It barely even registered in her head as she pulled out her keys and set to unlocking the front door.

The one thing she missed most about being with Shaggy was that now there was no one to hold her. Because, even though his arms around her or his lips on hers hadn't stirred desire inside of her, it had felt nice and was a comfort of sorts in its own way. Another thing she missed about no longer being with Shaggy was that now there was no one to tell her they loved her, who would listen to her problems and tell her they understood her fears or to tell her a way to overcome her problems. Now there was no one for her to turn to when she needed a shoulder to either cry or just lean on.

She was alone.

With that depressing thought in mind, Velma pushed the front door open, kicking it closed before twisting the lock and turning to the wall. Her hung her knapsack up on the hook by the door before dropping her keys into the small crystal bowl sitting on her stand waiting there. Kicking her shoes off, she wiggled her toes before turning around to start into the living room, only to freeze in her tracks.

Candles were scattered around her living room. Her mind registered that piano music was coming from the CD player on the shelf by the TV. And tossed across the furniture and over the floor were red rose petals.

When she looked a little closer at the petals on the floor, she noticed that they weren't just tossed there, but were actually forming a sort of pathway that led from the room and towards the library. Slowly moving forward, she followed the trail into the other room, only to see it lead to the door for the kitchen. She thought she'd left the door open when she'd left, but now it was closed. Obviously whoever had done this wanted her to be surprised when she saw them.

Immediately her mind went to Shaggy, thinking that maybe he too had been missing that comfortable, safe relationship they'd had and was looking to get it back. The thought has her moving forward once more, reaching out on hand to the door to push it open. Maybe he too thought about how pathetic it would look for them to be alone at Daphne's New Year's party (but maybe he was here to take her to it) while all their other friends and family had dates to count down with. But maybe they could make it work this time around. After all, they were about to start a new year.

The thought had her feeling so relieved she was smiling when she pushed the door open all the way, his name on her lips. "Sha—"

Everything came to a screeching halt though as she came face to face with the person standing in the kitchen. A person who was not Shaggy.

Her thoughts were a whirl of memories for a moment, thoughts of this person whipping through her head at an incredible rate. The electrified feeling that had her body surging to life whenever their skin touched. The way her breath hitched and her heart beat like a jackrabbit when he was near. The way nothing else seemed to exist when he leaned in to say something softly in her ear, that way only she would hear. The butterflies that filled her stomach when he flirted with her, or even the warm feeling that spread through her belly before heading lower when he smiled at her.

Only with him did she ever feel like a passionate being, like she could be swept away by desire. The only person she'd ever felt true love towards, something more than just mere friendship and the love that came with it.

"Uh, no…it's me, Fred," he said hesitantly, bringing her attention back to the present and what she'd come home to: candles, romantic music, rose petals…and Fred.

"Wha—what are you doing here?" she stuttered out, trying her hardest not to hope for something that was completely impossible. Freddie would never do something like this for her. He liked beautiful women like Daphne, not book-smart, plain-looking ones like herself. Despite what it looked like, Velma was certain there was some sort of explanation he was about to give her for this whole thing.

Fred cleared his throat, shifting on his feet before glancing towards the table beside him and, therefore, drawing Velma's attention to it. "I made you dinner."

The table was small and round, with two lit candles sitting in the center and more petals scattered over the white tablecloth. China dishes were sat out along with gleaming silverware, ready for two people to sit down to eat. On the countertop just a few feet away sat covered dishes that Velma could just barely make out steam rolling off of.

"Of course this is the seventh meal I actually cooked today, since the other six I ruined and had to throw out. I think I finally got it right though," he was mumbling in a nervous way that she wasn't used to. "You see, I just wanted everything to be perfect for tonight, so I hope that the food tastes alright. Maybe I should have just ordered take out, or taken you to a fancy restaurant," he said quickly when she still didn't say anything.

"You cooked for me? All day?" she asked in surprise.

He shifted on his feet, hesitating a moment before finally nodding his head, as if he thought she might laugh at him and throw him out for simply admitting to cooking.

"But, why?" she asked after a moment of silence.

After a moment of silence where they merely stared into one another's eyes, something finally changed in Fred's expression. Some of the tension left his body and a soft look entered into his eyes. "I cooked for you because I adore you, Velma. It killed me to see you with Shaggy these past two years, but I suffered in silence because I thought it was what you wanted, and I've only ever wanted you to be happy. For years I've wanted to ask you out, but told myself you were too smart for me. And the Daphne got it into her head that you would be perfect for Shaggy, and I thought I'd lost my chance." He moved forward then, lifting a hand to reach out and skim his fingertips across her cheek. "But then the two of you ended it, and I decided I wasn't going to lose another chance to have you as mine, all mine. But I waited in agony for weeks because I didn't want to chance anything since you'd just broken up with Shaggy. I didn't just want to be a rebound date. But then I worried that, should I wait too long, you and Shaggy might decide to try and work your problems out, so I can't wait any longer, Velma. Sweet, sweet, Velma—just give me one chance, one chance to show you that, while I'm not perfect, I am perfect for you. In every way."

Before Velma could say anything, Fred lowered his head to capture her lips with his own. He'd intended for the kiss to be light, not wanting to scare her away, but as soon as their mouths touched, the fire that had been kindling inside of them for years leapt to burning life and overpowered them. Hands grasped and pulled, bodies pressed together, and mouths seemed to fuse as passion roared through their veins in a deafening melody they couldn't ignore or resist.

Finally, when they pulled apart, both were gasping for breath, holding onto one another as if they needed support—Velma was certain that if Fred's arms hadn't been wrapped so tightly around her, she surely would have fallen to the floor because of the face that her legs had turned to goo during their kiss.

Fred eased Velma from his embrace, almost certain that she'd run from him the moment she caught her breath. Instead, she merely smiled at him and refused to let him set her away from his body, snuggling into the warmth of his chest and wrapping her arms around his chest.

"If you want me to be yours, I am. I've waited years to hear you say something like that, and only in my wildest dreams did it really happen. I'll never pass up the chance in reality," she admitted in a small voice. He'd bared his soul to her, it would only be fair if she did as well.

For a moment Fred didn't move, but then his arms suddenly came back around her, holding her in a tight embrace that promised so many things without him needing to speak the words aloud. She knew he would never leave her, felt that he would be there forever in the way he held her.

A small smile curled her lips and Velma's eyes slipped closed. Finally, she was holding the man she'd loved for so many years, and he was promising to stay by her side. But she would refrain from telling him of her love just yet—she didn't want to scare him off. But, if this touching surprise and his heartwarming admissions meant anything, he felt the same for her as she did for him.

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**So, this is a coupling I don't necessarily prefer-I like Fraphne and Shelma, but I want to see if I can change it up and still write a good story. Please tell me what you think in a review! -no flames please, but if you think I could improve on something, let me know _politely_ please. Thanks!**

**DT**


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